1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the caring for the excretory functions of bedridden patients.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The care of a bedridden patient over the years has been unsatisfactory with respect to on going body functions such as the excretory organs. It has reached the point that jokes and sad stories about patients' use of bedpans are legion. In U.S. Pat. No. 266,167 (1882) A. Leslie disclosed an invalid hammock which was fastened at the foot of the bed, passed over the very high head board and down the back side of the head board to a crank operated drum. By this means slack in the hammock could be reduced, thus suspending the patient or slack let out to lower the patient. The patient could be lowered down on to the bed's mattress. To enable the patient to use the bed pan without leaving the hammock, an opening, where the buttocks usually come, was provided. The opening could be covered with a flap. As is commonly known, this concept was not adopted as practical.
J. A. Devore, et al in U.S. Pat. No. 778,570 (1904) disclosed an invalid bed in which a stretcher was installed on a telescoping frame. The stretcher could be raised from the mattress, by a crank mechanism at the foot of the bed, a sufficient distance from the mattress to insert a vessel, i.e., bed pan and the lie, under the hole in the stretcher. It was intended that the patient be continuously on the stretcher. Preferably, the stretcher was made of waterproof material. Again, this device as not adopted by the public as a practical means of caring for the bedridden patient. One can readily imagine the bedridden patient's comfort on such a device.
F. T. Ridley, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,981,666 (1934) disclosed an inflatable device for use as a bed lift and to support patients in conjunction with, among other things, use of bed pans. The device anchored at the head and foot of the bed, is continuously maintained beneath the patient. Because of its waterproof construction, the long term patient's discomfort will be readily apparent.
G. C. Kuhn in U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,842 granted upon application Ser. No. 935,016 filed Nov. 26, 1986 discloses aiding bedridden persons in the use of bed pans and the like by placing the person on a full length platform device with an opening so located that the excreted waste falls directly into the bed pan below the platform. The patient can be moved onto the platform device by the use of a lifting sheet which is attached along one side of the patient motivation device. The platform device is supported above the patient's bed by a series of rigid and resilient supports which work in combination to assist in the placement of the person on the platform device. The bed pans used in this invention can be any of the previously known pans, all of which are characterized by a rigid construction and substantially open top. This construction presents problems in the handling of wastes as well as the cleaning and storing of bed pans.
While the Kuhn bed platform has greatly eased the patient in carrying out their bodily functions there remains a great need for a convenient and aesthetic manner of handling the collected wastes. It is an object of this invention to provide a device for the collection of bodily wastes which eliminates the need to wash bed pans. It is a further object of this invention to provide a system for sanitary and aesthetically acceptable transportation of such wastes. Yet another object is to provide a patient platform which utilizes the waste collector of this invention while avoiding the need to transfer patients for this purpose. Still other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following detailed description.